Collar brace



Feb. 10, 1959 F. A. WEEKS COLLAR BRACE Filed Nov. so, 1956 rates This invention relates to attachments for wearing apparel and particularly devices for retaining points of collars inextended positions, and in particular 53,1615- scoping brace having a coil spring incorporated therein whereby with a point on the upper end anchored in the under surface of a collar and a point in the opposite end extended into the under surface of a point of a collar the point is resiliently urged to an extended or straight position.

The purpose of this invention is to provide retaining means in a collar to prevent the point of the collar curling upwardly.

Various types of stays and strips of material of other forms have been incorporated in and attached to collars for retaining points of collars in extended positions, however, to insure maintaining the points in straight posi tions continuously it has been found necessary to provide resilient means for placing the material of the collar in tension continuously as it is in use. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a brace formed of telescoping sections with a spring for urging the sections apart and with points at the ends of the sections for anchoring the brace in the material of the collar.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a collar holding brace which maintains tension in the material of the collar continuously.

Another object of the invention is to provide a brace for retaining tension in the material of a collar continuously as the collar is in use in which the device may be attached to the under surface of a collar without providing openings or slits in the material of the collar.

A further object of the invention is to provide a brace for retaining tension in the points of a collar particularly of a dress shirt in which the brace is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a relatively small elongated barrel having a spring therein with a pin having a sharp point extended from one end of the barrel and a bracket having a triangular-shaped section with pins on an upper portion thereof slidably mounted in and extended from the opposite end thereof.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l. is a front elevational view of a collar in which the points are retained in tension by collar braces having coil springs therein.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the collar brace with the spring barrel shown in section and with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2 with the spring barrel shown in elevation and showing a device for a point of a collar, the brace shown in Fig. 3 being adapted for use in a collar point opposite to that shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a section looking upwardly taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing the triangular-shaped form of the atria 'r' g 2,872,584 Patented iE b, 1.10, "1 959 bracket at the upper end of the brace with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

'Figure 5 is a side elevational view of the spring barrel of the improved collar brace, the partsbeing shown on a still further enlarged scale.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the spring barrel showing a tab for withdrawinga'pin at the lower end of the collar.

Figure 7 is a sectional view through a-point of a collar illustrating the position of the improved collar brace therein.

Figure 8 is a view showing a typical arrangement of a point at the lower end of the brace.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved collar brace of this invention includes a cylinder or barrel 10 for a spring '11- with a point 12 extended from the lower end and a bracket including a vertically disposed rod -13, a horizontally disposed rod 14, and an angularly disposed rod 15 extended from a head 16 in the upper end of the barrel 10.

The lower end of the barrel 10 is provided with a section 17 from which a nipple or bearing 18 extends and, as shown in Fig. 6 the point 12 is slidably mounted in the member 18 whereby a barb 19 is adapted to be urged downwardly by the spring 11 to retain a point on the extended end thereof in the material 20 of a point 21 of a collar 22 of a shirt 23, as illustrated in Fig. 7.

The point or pin 12 is provided with a head 24 having a tab 25 extended therefrom, the tab 25 extending through a slot 26 in the wall of the barrel 10 providing means for compressing the spring 11 to retract the point 12. The lower end of the point 12 is provided with a cross bar or stop 27 that limits the penetration of the barb 19 into the material of the collar and prevents the tip of the barb projecting through the material. The spring barrel, as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6 may be provided with points at both ends and the points provided with bars or stops 27 for limiting penetration of the points into the material of the collar to prevent the points extending through the outer wall of the collar.

The stem 13 of the bracket at the upper end of the brace extends from the head 16 and, as shown in Fig. 6 the material of the upper end of the barrel 10 is crimped over the head 16 providing a crimped section 28 for retaining the head 16 in position.

The horizontally disposed member 14 connects the uppper end of the stem 13 and the brace 15 and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the member 14 is provided with points 29 and 30 which penetrate the material of the collar, retaining the upper end of the brace in position in the collar.

By this means a collar brace is provided wherein with the upper end anchored inside of the collar the barb 19 on the lower end is adapted to be retracted and released whereby the barb extends into the material at the tip or point of a collar whereby with the tab 25 released the spring urges the point 12 downwardly retaining the material of the collar in tension.

The braces may be provided in pairs, however, the braces may be similar and used with one turned to extend in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A collar brace comprising an elongated tube having a slot in one side and extended upwardly from the lower end, a spring in the tube, a head having a tab extended from one side slidably mounted in the tube in engagement ,3 with one end of said spring and positioned with the tab extended through the slot of the tube, a point carried by the head and extended through the lower end of the tube, a vertically disposed rod having a head on one end slidably positioned in thetube with the head in engagement with the opposite end of said spring, a horizontally dis posed rod extending from the outer end of-said vertically disposed rod at approximately right angles thereto, an angularly disposed rod connected at one end to the outer end of said horizontally disposed rod and at the opposite end to said vertically disposed rod and the horizontally disposed rod having vertically disposed relatively spaced points thereon for anchoring the bracket in the material on the under surface of the collar.

2. A collar brace comprising an elongated tube having a slot in one side and extended upwardly from the lower end, a spring in the tube, a head having a tab extended from one side slidably mounted in the tube in engagement with one end of said spring and positioned with the tab extended through the slot of the tube, a point carried by the head and extended through the lower endof the tube, a cross barb on the point and spaced from the lower end thereof for limiting the penetration of the point in the material of a collar, a vertically disposed rod having a head on one end slidablyipositioned in the tube with the head in engagement with the opposite end of said spring, a horizontally disposed rod extending from the outer end of said vertically disposed rod at approximately right angles thereto, an angularly disposed rod connected at one end to the outer end of said horizontally disposed rod and at the opposite end to said vertically disposed rod and the horizontally disposed rod having vertically disposed relatively spaced points thereon for anchoring the bracket in the material on the under surface of the collar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,735,104 Finan Feb. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 203,678 Switzerland June 16, 1939 70,958 Norway Sept. 9, 1946 

